Spot Color Management in Document Editing Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for printing documents with spot colors are inefficient, requiring users to navigate multiple screens or windows to designate and check spot color locations, leading to decreased document creation efficiency and increased risk of errors, especially as the number of spot colors increases.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus with a processor that detects drawing designation information and converts it into spot color filling information during document output, allowing for the designation and checking of spot color locations without transitioning screens or windows, thereby streamlining the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users navigate to setting screens or preview screens to designate and check spot color locations, then spot color designation can be performed, but document creation efficiency decreases and work mistakes increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespot color designation operationVSAvoiddocument creation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the spot color designation function directly into the document editing interface by overlaying spot color icons on the document display. This allows users to designate spot color regions without leaving the editing screen, combining what were previously separate operations (editing + spot color designation) into a single integrated workflow, thereby eliminating the need to navigate to separate setting or preview screens

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of spot colors handled in one document increases, then more comprehensive color coverage is achieved, but the difficulty of designating spot color increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespot color handling capabilityVSAvoidspot color designation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the spot color management task into individual, independently selectable regions by displaying separate spot color icons for each spot color region in the document. This allows users to handle multiple spot colors through simple, repetitive icon selections rather than managing complex color assignments, making the operation equally simple regardless of the number of spot colors in the document

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20240106965A1Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program, and information processing method

Publication Date: 2024.03.28 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a process of detecting drawing designation information that is information for designating a drawing content in document data, and converting, in a case where the detected drawing designation information is a conversion target for filling with a spot color, the drawing designation information into spot color filling information which is information for filling with a target spot color and outputting a result of the conversion, at a time of outputting the document data.